This sounds a lot more fun than bed rest...

by Lou Boyd

www.mpora.com

We’ve known for years that surfing is good for the mind, as well as the body and the soul…

In the French town of Biarritz however, it seems that the benefits of surfing are being taken a little more seriously by the medical profession, as doctors have begun to prescribe a bit of stoke to their patients!

A pilot program, aimed at finding alternative remedies away from immediate medication when possible, sends patients off to go for a surf in order to ward off a bunch of different ailments, from depression to early signs of heart disease!

Not only does this sound like the most fun medication plan on the planet, its a lot cheaper for the national health service than conventional medication.

The pilot program is being supported by the Biarritz town hall and two separate private health associations, meaning it is not cost the taxpayer any money whatsoever.

Most participants will complete a 12 week course as directed by their doctor.

Early results for the trial seems to be giving positive results.

Most patients continuing with the sport after the twelve weeks and some patients with cases of back pain and depression, are finding no need for medication whatsoever following the prescribed course of fresh air and movement.

Do you think surfing and general exercise should be used for all early symptoms of depression before doctors go down the medication route? Let us know!

The ocean has long been thought to have therapeutic qualities. It’s pretty obvious to anyone that spends any amount of time in it: the ocean makes you feel better. But doctors in Biarritz are taking it to a whole new level, and actually prescribing it to select patients in place of medication.

According to the Telegraph, twenty doctors are prescribing 12-week courses in surfing or stand up paddling to people suffering from a range of chronic conditions including depression, back pain, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. “It’s about enacting cultural change in a country where 90 per cent patients who come out of the doctor’s surgery do so with a medical prescription,” said Guillaume Barucq, a surfer and doctor in Biarritz.

Along with the obvious physical benefits involved in surfing and stand up paddling, doctors are saying that the new scheme has a lot to do with negative ions that are released when waves break. “They improve the oxygenation of tissue, your mood, tone, quality of sleep and concentration,” Barucq explained.

Along with surfing and paddling, doctors are also prescribing Nordic walking and swimming, depending on the patient’s ailment. In some cases, the sessions have replaced medication entirely. In one such case, a 40-year-old woman who has suffered from lumbago (chronic lower back pain) for over a decade, tried surgery, and was paralyzed for a month, said that after six months of involvement, her pain has all but disappeared.

The program involves both doctors and sports educators to figure out what would be best for each patient. “To tell a patient ‘Do some sport’ isn’t enough,” said Barucq. “It’s like telling him ‘take some medicine’ and letting him try and find the right one at the chemist.”

So far, over 20 towns in the area have reached out to find out more about the program. The French MP, Valérie Fourneyron, is planning on recommending a change to the region’s health laws to include the treatment.

There's no quick fix for post-traumatic stress disorder, but research has shown that surfing's physicality and flow can give victims some relief and a way forward. The author hit the water with his close friend Brian, a former Navy SEAL whose service in Afghanistan beat up his body, tortured his mind, and pushed him into a zone where violence—against himself or others—seemed inevitable.

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